


Coin-Flip

by LacePendragon



Category: RWBY
Genre: First Meetings, Fluff, IronQrow Week, M/M, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, STRQ Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-07 22:10:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17968961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LacePendragon/pseuds/LacePendragon
Summary: Team STRQ shows up in Atlas for the Vytal Festival in their second year. They meet a pair of Atlas students. Qrow takes a chance.





	Coin-Flip

**Author's Note:**

> For Ironqrow Week 2019, Day 1: First Meetings.
> 
> Enjoy?

Second-year meant a lot of new things: new missions, new classes, new students to make fun of for being the same scared first years they’d been a year before, and, Qrow’s personal favourite, the Vytal Festival. The first of two he’d get to be part of in his time at Beacon, and, of course, to his great horror and disgust, it was being held in fucking _Atlas._

“You know, when tribe leader asked us to go undercover, I didn’t think we’d have to go to fucking _Atlas_ ,” muttered Qrow, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Raven elbowed him, sharp, in the gut and he hissed. He shot her a look as they shuffled through the crowd toward the front doors of Atlas Academy, but she didn’t look at him.

He didn’t blame her. After they’d gone “home” over the school year break, neither one of them really knew what to think anymore. Beacon and Vale were so much better and brighter than anything they’d ever imagined, and the hunters were good people, mostly. Tai and Summer were like family.

And yet, they were supposed to be learning how to _kill_ these people. Qrow knew that his own doubts, his fears, his hunger to escape and be part of this world, was mirrored in Raven, just as he knew she was far more conflicted than he was. She felt more kinship, more connection, more _guilt_ toward the tribe than he did. He mostly felt resentment. Hatred. Weight.

Relief when he’d gotten on the airship back to Vale, back to Beacon. Guilt over that relief. Fear that Raven, that the tribe, would find out.

But Qrow needed to shake that off and be grateful for what he had. He was in Atlas, full of snow and uniforms and bullshit; he had the Vytal Festival, where Team STRQ was gonna kick ass; and he had the last few months of the year in Vale, so that was great.

“It’s so cold here,” said Summer, rubbing at her arms. She had her cloak draped around herself, but it didn’t seem to be helping much. “When do the fire crystals start working?”

Taiyang came up next to her, his arms folded behind his head. He was in his short sleeves and pants, and he shrugged. “I dunno what you’re complaining about, _xiao huā_ , it’s nice out.” He beamed, stretching his arms above his head.

Summer gave him a flat look that Qrow echoed. “You don’t get an opinion, you’re a _fucking furnace,”_ she hissed, baring her teeth. Tai scooted away, even though they all knew none of them could hurt him. It was the emotional and mental that he feared, not the physical. And Summer was his partner. She knew everything.

Well, everything in general, not just about Taiyang.

But also about Taiyang.

“I prefer to think of myself as a dragon,” said Taiyang, flexing, once he recovered from her words. He winked at her and Summer rolled her eyes, but a flush worked its way up her cheeks. Raven frowned. Qrow bumped shoulders with her and gave her a sympathetic look. She glowered.

He sighed. Some things never changed.

“Excuse me.” It wasn’t a question. The words rang loud and clear and _commanding._ All the Beacon students froze. An Atlas Academy student, dressed in the uniform and with the four arrows that marked her as a fourth year on one shoulder, stood on a glowing, purple glyph in mid-air. Her arms were folded across her chest and she wore a scowl alongside her wireframe glasses.

“You’re going the wrong way.” The disdain in her voice had many of Beacon’s students cringing. Others straightened up, reaching for their weapons. The woman raised an eyebrow and smirked. Purple glyphs appeared all around Qrow. Everyone who had reached for their weapons now had their arms pinned to their sides, their weapons useless, on the ground where possible, and their mouths plastered shut.

“None of that,” she drawled, a twinge of Mantle’s accent in her amused tone. “Children, I swear. They get dumber by the year.” She wasn’t talking to them, but instead to a man that stood on the ground, scowling at Glynda. He had a metal eyebrow above his right one, and wore a scowl just as the woman had.

“Let them go,” he said, his voice clear and exasperated. The woman shrugged and flicked her wrist. All the glyphs vanished, and everyone was released. “Go to your rooms.” The man gestured toward the guest dorms, which they’d all been walking away from.

Oops.

Everyone turned and left. No one protested. Qrow didn’t blame them. That woman was _scary._

Team STRQ remained as the others scattered, and Summer and Tai stared at the woman openly, though in very different ways. Summer with admiration and curiosity. Open hero worship. Tai with something slyer, something hungrier, something filled with _want_.

Qrow rolled his eyes. Fucking Tai.

“Sorry about that,” said the man, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. His olive skin flushed across his cheekbones and his ears as he approached them. “Glynda can be a little intense.”

Glynda, the woman, lowered herself to the ground, glyph vanishing, and tossed a strand of hair over her shoulder. She rolled her eyes, giving a little huff, and planted her hands on her hips.

“I won’t have a bunch of ruffians mucking about in my dorms, thank you.” She lifted her chin, looking down her nose at the man, despite him being almost a foot taller. Her flat shoes lacked the heel that Raven was fond of, despite Raven’s immense height. Glynda cast a glance to STRQ. “No offense.”

Summer’s hero worship faded. She frowned, brow furrowing. “Um, that’s not how that works.”

Glynda shrugged, turned, and walked away.

The man sighed. “Sorry,” he said, again. “She’s…”

“Atlesian upper crust?” guessed Qrow, folding his arms across his hest. He raised an eyebrow and the man chuckled.

“Yes. Old money, at that.” He chuckled, flashing a smile at them all. Summer relaxed again with a quiet sigh. “I’m James.” He held out his hand – the left one, oddly enough. The right one was gloved. Huh.

Tai took it and shook. He smiled, coy and a little bit hungry.

“Taiyang, but _you_ can call me Tai.” He winked and James flushed, jolting a bit. He cleared his throat and stepped back, eyes wide.

Summer rolled her eyes and grabbed Tai’s shirt. “Forgive him, he’s dumb.” She smiled. “I’m Summer, that’s Raven, and we’re going to find our rooms.” She dragged Tai over to Raven, grabbed Raven by the sleeves, and darted off, as if she couldn’t get away fast enough. Tai and Raven went along with her, seemingly content.

Qrow stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked up to James, cocking his head to one side with an amused twinkle in his eyes.

“Qrow,” he said, reaching out with one hand. James took it and squeezed. When he let go of Qrow’s hand, Qrow lifted it and combed his fingers through his hair. “Don’t worry about my team. They’re a nervous bunch.”

James chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck again. He ducked his head, but their eyes still met, as Qrow was a good six inches shorter than him. “You don’t say?” He glanced to where the three were disappearing. “Do they always leave you behind?”

Qrow grinned. “Summer trusts me to behave.” He winked. James snorted.

“Why do I get the feeling it’s a mistake?” James raised his eyebrows. Qrow’s grin widened.

“Maybe,” Qrow teased, waggling his eyebrows, “wanna find out?”

James opened his mouth. Froze. Closed it and cleared his throat. Qrow blinked. _Huh._ Well, why the hell not?

“Do you?” asked Qrow. “’Cuz there’s no harm in coffee.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “My treat?”

James smiled, soft and hesitant. “Sure,” he said. “You’re the most interesting person I’ve met yet.” He winced. “I mean—”

Anxiety. Just like Tai.

“Hey, I get it.” Qrow winked. “Why don’t you pick the place?”

“That sounds nice.”

Qrow turned and nodded toward the gates, where the airbus was waiting. James fell into step next to him and the two walked off together. And hey, maybe it’d go terribly. Or maybe it’d go great. That was the great thing about chances. There was always a chance for it to be a new opportunity, a great day, or the start of something new.

And maybe Qrow didn’t know it yet. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking.

But maybe this little coffee “date” would be the best thing to ever happen to him.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are appreciated!


End file.
